Jon Schnepp, ‘Metalocalypse’ Writer-Director, Dies at Age 51

Jon Schnepp, the director and writer for the 2000s animated television series Metalocalypse, has died peacefully at the age of 51 on Thursday, July 19 after suffering a stroke.

Jon's wife, Holly Payne took to Twitter on Friday, July 20 to confirm Jon's death, with sharing a statement and a screenshot of a fundraiser page that had been collecting donations for her husband's recovery and medical expenses.

The statement reads,

It is with a broken heart that the Schnepp family and I must announce the passing of our beloved Jon Schnepp, who died peacefully on July 19, 2018. Jon ultimately succumbed to the effects of a massive stroke.

He had a blood clot removed from his left carotid artery, but the bleeding could not be stopped. Irreparable and catastrophic damage was caused to both hemispheres and all brain activity ceased.

Payne and the late filmmaker's sister, Deborah Schnepp, decided to take Jon off life support since "there was no possible way for him to recover".

She continued,

I spent the last hour of his life with him holding him, laying my head across his massive chest, kissing him, stroking his hair, playing his favorite songs, and telling him over and over again how much I love him. My life has been forever changed by Jon. I feel endlessly grateful to have shared 16 years of laughter, love and incredible adventures together, including the making [of] a feature film, as well as a television series that I hope to complete and release later this year in his honor.

The family has continued to use a GoFundMe account in order to raise funds for medical expenses.

In five days, more than 3,400 donated money and raise it over $113,500. Filmmaker Kevin Smith was the one who donated $2,000 to the fund.

Besides working on Metalocalypse, which aired from 2006 to 2012, Jon also worked on 2004's The Venture Bros. and directed a segment in the 2012 horror movie The ABCs of Death.

In addition to his wife, Jon is survived by his sister, his mother Miriam Schnepp and father David Schnepp.